Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, said in a statement following the news conference today with the legislative leaders and Gov. Andrew Cuomo that a three-way agreement had been achieved, but differences remain on a expiration date and “minor technical issues.”

“Almost four months ago the Senate passed the hard property tax cap legislation proposed by Governor Cuomo,” Skelos said. “Since then, Senate Republicans have advocated every day for the enactment of a strong property tax cap. Other than the sunset provision and minor technical issues, we have reached a three-way agreement on a bill that achieves our goals and includes 95 percent of the bill we already passed and will finally put the brakes on skyrocketing property taxes.”

Skelos said during the news conference that there was a “broad” agreement on the cap between his conference, the Democratic-controlled Assembly and Cuomo.

Earlier in the day, he suggested that linking the tax cap to rent control laws for New York City would remain up for negotiations, noting there’s three weeks left in the session.

Full release is after the jump:

Almost four months ago the Senate passed the hard property tax cap
legislation proposed by Governor Cuomo. Since then, Senate Republicans
have advocated every day for the enactment of a strong property tax cap.
Other than the sunset provision and minor technical issues, we have reached
a three-way agreement on a bill that achieves our goals and includes 95
percent of the bill we already passed and will finally put the brakes on
skyrocketing property taxes.

This agreement maintains the maximum two-percent increase threshold
on the total tax levy, as well as the 60 percent level necessary for school
district voters to override the cap that were included in the original
legislation passed by the Senate.

Enactment of a property tax cap is absolutely necessary for New York
to send a positive message to families who are struggling to pay their tax
bill and for businesses that want to grow and create jobs, but are being
held back by high taxes.

The property tax cap is a big step forward and we must build on it by
providing relief from other taxes that place an enormous burden on New
Yorkers and stand as an obstacle to economic growth and job creation.

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